Tron: Echo Rising
by Auralee
Summary: When Alan Bradley discovers his program is missing, he writes a program to find and assist Tron as necessary. What happens when Echo arrives to find a system in chaos and a corrupted security program in the middle of it all? Rated T for safety.
1. Prologue: Program Not Found

Hey all! I decided to try something a little bit different, inspired months ago by seeing 'Tron: Legacy' for the very first time. I grew up on the original 'Tron,' and I found myself wondering what might have happened if Alan Bradley had tried to access his program between the events of 'Tron' and 'Tron: Legacy.' What came up was worthy of a story, and I decided to give it a go. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own 'Tron' or 'Tron: Legacy.'

**Tron: Echo Rising**

Alan Bradley squinted at the computer screen, trying to see through the glare from his office windows. He hated the office that the ENCOM board had stuck him with: no matter what time of day it was, he always got stuck with some window glare. _A small price to pay for a promotion,_ he thought with a sigh. _Still wish I was back in my cubicle sometimes, though._ He supposed it wasn't so bad, since the hours helped him keep an eye on Sam.

Scowling at the computer, Alan turned his chair so he was looking out the large plate-glass window. _Where the hell are you, Flynn?_ It had been about ten years since his friend and boss had disappeared, leaving his son and a struggling company behind. Rumors flew around like the wind about where he'd gone, anything and everything from a hidden tropical paradise to being murdered by a rival company. Personally, Alan knew he wouldn't have abandoned Sam, any idiot could see that Flynn loved his son. He'd told the press as much when Flynn had vanished, told them he was exploring a 'digital frontier.' _And I would know,_ he thought ruefully, recalling his own experiences with what Flynn had termed "The Grid." While he had yet to experience the digital world as personally as Flynn had, he had witnessed the after-effects, starting with his friend's rise to CEO and the disappearance of that damned Master Control Program.

_If it wasn't for Tron, I doubt any of this would've happened. Tron, hmmm…what happened to him?_ Ever since he provided the program with the means to shut down the MCP, Alan had had no contact with his security program. Theoretically, Tron was running around in the system performing his assigned functions, but surely it wouldn't hurt to check….Alan turned back to his computer and began typing.

**STATUS QUERY: PROGRAM TRON-JA307020**

**ERROR: PROGRAM NOT FOUND IN SYSTEM**

_What the hell? That can't be right!_ Alan leaned forward, typing furiously.

**LOCATE PROGRAM TRON-JA307020. LAST KNOWN LOCATION ENCOM COMPUTER SYSTEM.**

**ERROR: PROGRAM NOT FOUND IN SYSTEM.**

Alan scowled at the message, but no matter how many times he tried the search he still came up empty. Tron hadn't been deleted, that he was sure of—he would've heard otherwise. So if he was still in the system, and assuming Flynn hadn't been exaggerating his experiences on the Grid, there were two possibilities. Either Tron had been destroyed or corrupted, or his program was in trouble.

"Where are you, Tron?" he wondered aloud. No answer came back to him from his office walls, and Alan stared at his screen once again. If Tron was in trouble, then that meant ENCOM's system needed additional protection, right? _And I doubt ENCOM will complain about the additional security, they're much to busy trying to turn a profit these days._

Thinking back to when Tron had been created, Alan began laying down the code for a new program, one just as sophisticated as Tron had been. He also added new upgrades and protocols, consistent with the evolution of technology: this new program would be able to learn and grow, necessary skills considering how quickly things were changing both on and offline. The new program had two primary directives: Priority One, identical to Tron's, was to protect and monitor the ENCOM system, and neutralize any threats or unauthorized programs. Priority Two was to find and assist Tron-JA307020, by any means necessary. Alan included all the information on Tron that he had, and added a failsafe code to shut him down if necessary: he couldn't afford to take the chance of Tron being a threat to the system.

Finally, he added a designation: Echo-JA418131. _Though it might be more accurate to use Tron 2.0, I don't think having two programs named Tron would be a smart move, not if each program has its own personality._ Alan smiled as he looked over his work, a satisfied smile on his face, and hit the "Execute" command.

"Go get 'em, Echo," he murmured to the empty room, a faint smile on his face.


	2. Chapter 1: Resolution

Hey to my readers and reviewers - thanks for giving my story the once-over! Feel free to leave more feedback and suggestions: I may have grown up on the original "TRON" movie, but I could always use more help. :) Flames will be used on my hot chocolate experiments - did you know that a little chili pepper in hot chocolate is a wonderful thing?

Disclaimer: I don't own 'Tron' or 'Tron: Legacy'.

Chapter One: Resolution

_"When a program comes into being, or resolution as we call it in the Grid, it's something of a slow process—ironic considering that, in your world, programs usually act faster than you can think. But time moves differently on the Grid: what could take mere minutes in your world is months, or even years, to a program. And when we're 'born' we emerge all at once, but our understanding comes slowly as we learn our functions. But once we're aware, we're nearly unstoppable."_

With a dark sky overhead on the shores of a digital sea, Echo opened her eyes. The world she saw was darkness peppered with distant flecks of light, and the bits and bytes of the sea brushed at her feet while grains of grey sand caught in her hair.

_Who am I? What am I doing here? Where _is_ here?_

For a long while the program lay on her back, simply processing the new sensations: seeing, feeling and hearing. The roaring sounds of the digital sea, the feel of the sand and the wisps of hair tickling her features were all completely new sensations. Echo closed her eyes and fisted her fingers in the sand, eyes widening at the unfamiliar feeling: the sand was harsh and gritty in her hands. Blinking, she saw a few specks of light floating high above her, but she had no idea what they could be. She sat up and brushed a few black strands out of her eyes, moving slowly as her programming began to start up and take effect.

Almost instantaneously her primary functions crossed through her mind:

**DESIGNATION: ECHO-JA418131**

**USER: ALAN-ONE**

**PRIORITY ONE: YOU WILL PROTECT AND MONITOR THE ENCOM SYSTEM. SHUT DOWN AND NEUTRALIZE ANY THREATS AND UNAUTHORIZED PROGRAMS.**

**PRIORITY TWO: YOU WILL LOCATE AND ASSIST PROGRAM DESIGNATION: TRON-JA307020**

Echo blinked and shook her head, and her mind cleared quickly: everything she needed to know had finally come online, the rest she would learn as she went along. _I must protect this system, and find Tron. Where do I start? I must find other programs, and get off this beach._ She stepped forward and felt her foot splash in a pool of water. _Interesting, I didn't realize this could occur._ She watched with interest as the digital fragments shimmered and rejoined into a smooth surface, mirrored and reflecting the world. Echo watched as her face appeared in the pool: large blue eyes in an angular face, a small straight nose, framed by a messy bob of black hair. Her mouth seemed a bit large, but she didn't mind: she had been created by her user for a purpose, and her looks must surely have a purpose of their own. _Have faith in the users. But I've delayed too long, I must begin my work._

"All that is visible must grow beyond itself, and extend into the realm of the invisible," Echo murmured, not understanding where the thought had come from. Perhaps a prayer? Still, the phrase was a comfort, a sort of prayer until she heard from her user again. Echo looked up and saw distant motes of light, what looked like buildings: a city. _That seems to be the best place to start looking. I can't protect this system or find Tron until I know more._ Scrambling up the beach, Echo headed towards the distant motes of light.


	3. Chapter 2: Tron City

Hello, all! My apologies for the long delay, but I had some difficulty with Echo. But I finally managed to get everything up and rolling again, and hopefully everything will start flowing smoothly. And let me know if there's anything you'd like to see in here! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Tron.

Chapter Two: TRON City

_There are many parts of our programming that we don't understand. Some things are simple enough: programming codes, directives, executable functions. Ours is a world of absolutes, of 'yes' or 'no.' But sometimes we execute our programming without understanding the functions used. And sometimes we find uses for codes that we never expected. Is this what users call 'instinct'? Or is this another, deeper facet of our programming?_

Something warned Echo to keep her head down as she entered the city, and avoid being noticed as much as possible. It was a good thing she did, too, since the moment she entered the city she witnessed a conscription. Armed programs, their code lines a bright red, seized another program with blue-white coded lines and force-marched him into a waiting craft. Her programming screamed at her to act, but she knew that without a weapon or armor she would be completely useless. As the two halves of her programmed mind warred with each other, Echo watched as another program appeared, reached for a disc on his back—a disc much like one Echo herself had—and charged. He thrust his disc into one of the red programs, and Echo watched as his target dissolved into a multitude of data fragments. The program didn't wait for his victim to finish crumbling before throwing his disc into another of the programs. It wasn't long before the rest of the red programs turned their attention to him.

_He is outmatched, and he knows this. Why did he attempt it?_ The thought flashed through her mind in an instant, and in the next Echo's programming had kicked in—it was her duty to protect the ENCOM system, and these programs were part of it. Her user had programmed her well, and before long she had de-rezzed the programs holding the captive blue.

"Run!" she shouted as she threw her disc into another guard. She didn't see the red program coming behind her, but one of her newly-found allies did; throwing his disc, he struck down the program and grabbed her hand. Together the group fled, and Echo eventually found herself in a darkened building, lit only by the flickering edges of the programmed structures.

"What happened back there? Who were they? Where am I?" The questions were pouring out of Echo's mouth. Her companions looked at her like she was crazed.

"Did you lose your circuits back there or something?" one of them asked. The other program simply looked at her thoughtfully.

"No, I didn't," Echo answered, a little forcefully. "I haven't been here LONG enough to lose my circuits."

"Just rezzed in, then?" the other program commented. He stared at her for a while. "Yes, you certainly look newer than most of the programs left here. But you picked the worst possible time to arrive—the Users have abandoned us."

"The Users?" Echo was shocked. "But the Users are still there, my User sent me here! How could they have abandoned us?"

"The User that was here, Kevin Flynn, his program turned on him. You saw what happened earlier?" the captured program gestured outside, her circuit lines flaring a brilliant blue-white. "CLU's guards are taking programs off the street, either to build an army or for the Games. He takes anyone who believes in the Users, or Kevin Flynn. No one is left to stand up to him anymore."

"If you're smart, you'll keep out of CLU's notice," the other program interrupted. "We're getting out of here, before the Black Guards come back." Both programs ran, leaving Echo alone.

_Black Guards? CLU? Kevin Flynn?_ There were bits and bytes of a puzzle, one that Echo knew she had to solve. But her programming was clear enough: she had to stand up to this CLU, and defend the system. And this Kevin Flynn, the programs had spoken of him with reverence, spoken of him….as though he were a User. _I need to learn more._ She listened, using her programming to decide if it was safe to move, and kept to the shadows. Echo had come for answers, and discovered a problem in the system—a problem she was determined to solve.

**TRON**

Rumors were buzzing around the End of Line club, the kind of rumors that made Zuse uneasy. Rumors of a new Grid Warrior, one who rivaled Tron with his daring, one who snatched programs from right under the noses of the Black Guard, who had no fear of reprisal from CLU, Rinzler, or anyone else. Zuse, who prided himself on being well-informed, was shocked and infuriated that this new warrior had appeared without so much as a whisper reaching his ears. _I'll have to keep an eye out, perhaps I'll have something useful to pass along to CLU later._ He turned to see Gem, one of the Armory Sirens, standing with a program he'd never seen before. _Rather plain-looking thing_.

"Gem, my sweet, leave that silly little program and cone with me, will you?"

Once they were out of earshot, he turned to the Siren. "There's a new program on the loose, do let me know if you hear anything from CLU, won't you?"

Gem's voice echoed with sultry pleasure. "Of course."

**TRON**

From a distance, Echo smiled into her drink as she watched the Siren and her friend. Both programs continued their conversation, unaware that they were being observed. _They don't realize it, but they're about to become the keys to finding Tron._ It had taken a few cycles, but she'd learned much more about CLU and his pet enforcer, Rinzler—enough to form a suspicion of what had happened to the program she'd been sent to find. Rinzler was known for his brutality and complete obedience, and if the rumors were correct, had appeared only months after Kevin Flynn had gone into exile. But no one knew exactly what had happened to the User or Tron—and only those two seemed to know more than they were telling. _They cannot be trusted, but I think they can be useful, in time._ Draining her drink, Echo nodded to her hosts and left the club, just another program roaming the Grid.


	4. Chapter 3: Games

Hello to all my readers! I apologize for the lengthy delay, but I got sidetracked with various other projects and hadn't found enough time to write. Shame on me, I know. However, I do have a brief chapter to tide you over until my next update, and hopefully chapters will be getting a bit longer from here on out. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Tron.

Chapter Three: Games

_"Sometimes even our programming isn't enough to tell us what we need to do. We have our core instructions, but not every situation can be anticipated. We are much like Users in that respect. True, our actions are usually more guided and more straightforward, but even we can be reduced to something as simple as 'blind luck' in the right circumstances. And no matter how many patterns and progressions may guide our choices, an educated guess by a program is still no more than a User's gamble."_

Echo had been on the Grid for several cycles, and was still no closer to finding Tron. Not that she was surprised: if her suspicions were correct, he had been altered. Her strongest lead was Rinzler, but even he had been nearly impossible to glimpse. CLU, it seemed, preferred to keep his enforcer close. There had been only two times where she had managed to see him in action: once when he was sent to eliminate a rebellion, and once when she had gone to the game arena with other programs. _And he is certainly a force to be reckoned with in the arena: cunning, ruthless, and skilled._

Her programming churned as Echo considered her options. She could either wait for Rinzler to be sent to deal with her, or she could allow herself to be captured. If she waited, it would take far too long for them to meet—longer than she could allow. But the arena, too, was a risk. Programs who were captured were either send to the gaming arena, or reprogrammed to serve in CLU's army. _There is no safe option, and I cannot wait forever to decide. I need to let them catch me—if the Users are willing, I'll finally face my predecessor._

Her decision made, Echo went back out to the circuit pathways on the Grid, making sure she appeared both visible and vulnerable. Her identity disk glowed white on her back, a clear contrast to the darkness of the Grid and the red lines of CLU's Black Guard. If the Users and ALAN-1 were willing, she would be rounded up and sent to the Gaming Grid.

A loud rumble echoed overhead: the sound of a Recognizer. Echo turned and paused just long enough to think she was frightened, and ran. If she played her part well, they would think her a weak program, and her odds of success would increase substantially: CLU had no use for weak programs. She turned and ran down a nearby pathway, which closed into a dead circuit. With nowhere to run, and hoping she had convinced the guards, Echo surrendered.

"This one was too easy," one of her "captors" stated, his voice a dull monotone. Echo stayed silent, simply observing the Recognizer, and the other captured programs. _They all look terrified. Has their fear of CLU completely overridden their functions?_ She stayed silent as she was strapped to the Recognizer, and as it took off to process the new programs.

The program beside her was muttering frantically. Echo couldn't quite understand his words, but she felt an overriding urge to comfort him. Perhaps it was part of her programming, a sub-function to protect the inhabitants of the Grid. Leaning forward, Echo placed a hand on his shoulder; the program started and stared at her in fear.

"All that is visible must grow beyond itself, and extend into the realm of the invisible," she spoke, her voice as calm as she could possibly make it. "Have faith in the Users, they haven't forgotten us yet."

The other programs stared at her, any fears forgotten and replaced by confusion. Who was this program? Echo simply stared ahead at the arena, the sight growing larger as they got closer. Before long the Recognizer had landed, and a Black Guard approached, assessing each of them.

"Rectify. Rectify. Games. Rectify. Rectify. Rectify." When he got to Echo, there was almost a microsecond's hesitation before he decided, "Games."

_Thank you, Alan-One_, Echo prayed as she was led to the Armory.


	5. Chapter 4: Rinzler

Hello to all my readers-my apologies for the delay! I got a bit stuck on this bit, where she actually meets Rinzler, and to be honest I wasn't all that thrilled with how it came out. But, I couldn't think of anything better, so I'm posting what little I have. Here's hoping what comes next is easier! Enjoy-oh, and flames will be used for Christmas fires.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tron or Tron: Legacy.

Chapter Four: Rinzler

"_It is a rare thing anymore, for a program to meet its predecessor. Typically, a User will delete or de-rez a program soon after a newer version is rezzed in. Sometimes, though, a new program will meet an older one, if the old program is forgotten. When that happens, it can be unsettling for both new and old programs, especially if the root codes are the same. They will be mirror images, of a sort: some obvious differences, but still very much alike, perhaps even down to the motions each of them will make."_

The first thing to greet Echo on stepping out of the armory was the noise: hundreds of programs were packed into the Arena, cheering in excitement for the sports to come, a sport she wanted no part in. _This was the only way, the only guarantee that I could find Rinzler and be sure._ Still, no matter how many times she rationalized her decision, she still felt conflicted with her core directives. How could she protect the Grid if she had to battle other programs?

A loud tone sounded, and Echo found herself facing her first opponent. It didn't take long for her to size up the other program: a skilled combatant, but too aggressive. She easily dodged his thrown disc, and in moments her own had reduced him to glittering shards of data._ Too easy,_ she mused even as she searched for a way out. Perhaps if she simply cut through her enclosure? Slashing quickly, Echo de-rezzed the floor beneath her and fell. She spread her arms, tumbled, and landed nimbly in front of a program: a program that had been matched against Rinzler. _Unexpected, but gratifying. This one would never have survived._ Echo drew her disk, helmeted gaze never wavering from her opponent even as she spoke.

"Run."

"I can't, they'll kill me."

"You will certainly die here. Your odds are better if you run." Before her, Rinzler split his disks in two. _Clever, Rinzler, but not clever enough_, she smiled as she did the same: the weapons were part of her root code, and so long as she kept her disk, she could divide it in two. Echo stood, disks in hand, in an identical posture to her opponent; if Rinzler noticed, or was unnerved, she couldn't tell. Not that she needed to, since Rinzler struck first, launching a disk that Echo easily dodged. Deciding not to respond in kind, Echo charged in swinging her disks. Strike, dodge, block, kick, spin, it all became one long blur as she and Rinzler fought each other to a standstill, every single motion being anticipated, mirrored, and countered.

How long had it taken? Echo was uncertain. All she needed to know was right in front of her: Rinzler was Tron, the program she had been seeking all this time. He was Tron, he had been altered, and he now stood with his disk at her neck and hers at his. _ALAN-ONE, give me the power to do what I must_, she prayed silently as she stared into the helmet's black stare.

"Tron," she whispered, voice barely audible over the din of the crowds in the Arena. For barely a cycle, she registered a pause in the heavy growls coming from the helmet—but that cycle was enough.

"TRON-JA307020, initiate emergency shutdown, authorization code AB2176ES." The override commands had been included in her root code, as well as permission to use them if necessary. Echo had used them, and it was with some surprise that she watched them take effect. Rinzler slumped forward, and Echo barely managed to catch him. Somewhere above, an alarm sounded, and guards began entering the Arena.

_I knew it seemed to easy_, she scowled, trying quickly to plan her next move.


	6. Chapter 5: Escape

Disclaimer: I don't own Tron or Tron: Legacy.

Chapter 5: Escape

_"A program's function is usually easy to understand: it's a part of our being. It is, quite literally, a part of our bodies, and without it we might as well be random Bits floating around the Grid. But while our functions are easily understood, executing them can sometimes be considerably harder, especially when met with opposition."_

Sneaking out of a crowded arena with an inactive program was certainly not the smartest option. Unfortunately, this was the only opportunity Echo had had to get close to her target: another chance like this was unlikely to come again. She had seized the opportunity and shut Rinzler down. _At least with him inactive I'll have an easier time getting out alive._

Dragging the unconscious program down a corridor, Echo stumbled into a room, Rinzler's dead weight knocking her against a solid frame. She looked up to see lightrunners everywhere; by some stroke of luck, or a benediction from her User, Echo had found transports for every program that had attended the games. _Thank you, ALAN-ONE,_ she prayed, never doubting that her User heard. Opening the door to the transport she'd landed on, Echo shoved her cargo inside, making sure he was secured and disarmed before starting the transport. She had very little knowledge of the override commands she'd been given, and didn't want to chance him waking up before they were safely away from the Arena.

The cycles since her arrival on the Grid hadn't been wasted; Echo had spent them learning not only about CLU and his Black Guard, but also about the city and where she could go if she ever needed to hide for awhile. Not that she had planned on hiding, but it was good to have a back door. _Like right now, when I have an unconscious Grid Warrior on my hands_, she thought, guiding her stolen transport down various circuit pathways. Finally, she reached her destination: an abandoned building on a nearly deserted series of microcircuit pathways. Echo dragged a still shut-down Rinzler into the building and de-rezzed the transport; it wouldn't do to have it left out in the open.

A few slow movements alerted Echo to a new problem: Rinzler was re-activating. Reacting with speed only a security program could replicate, Echo secured the program's hands and feet before confiscating his identity disk. She wasn't entirely sure what good that would do, but perhaps it would give the corrupted program pause for thought…and buy her time to find a solution.

"Alan-One, help me find an answer," Echo prayed as she watched Rinzler come fully awake.

**TRON**

Aboard his command vessel, CLU stood at the viewport overlooking Tron City. Outwardly he was the picture of absolute calm and control; inside, the program was seething. His best enforcer, abducted! Taken from right under his nose by some insignificant game competitor! _And somehow this program has vanished from right under my nose! Impossible!_

Or was it? Thinking back to the arena, CLU recalled that the program had been able to match Rinzler move for move, ending the combat in a stalemate—something that had never happened before, and certainly not to Rinzler. And what had followed after…it was almost as though a User had stepped into the Grid. A _User_! CLU's processors churned angrily at the thought.

Jarvis approached him, seemingly intent on offering some sort of syncophantic gesture. CLU waved him off, wanting privacy while he contemplated this unpleasant new development. If a User had appeared on the Grid, it could pose a serious problem to his plans, especially since Flynn was still unaccounted for. If, however, this was a simple program, all he needed to do was de-rez her. _Not so simple, though—no program can simply shut down another program. If she has access codes, then she's either a User or sent by one. And if she's not a User, then she won't be able to alter Rinzler's programming without help._

With that thought, CLU's processors came to a surprising deduction: this new program could lead him to Flynn. She could have killed—or tried to kill, his processors amended—Rinzler in the games, but chose to abduct him instead. That meant she had a use for him. But with the conditioning imposed upon Rinzler, she wouldn't be able to do anything with him. And that meant she would seek out someone else, someone capable of removing the corruption from the security program…someone like Flynn.

CLU's features curled into an evil smile as he considered the possible outcomes. _This might work even better than I anticipated. Flynn, the game is about to begin._


	7. Chapter 6: Looking for Answers

Greetings from the North Pole! No, I'm not really there, but the weather's dropped to Arctic levels where I'm at currently, so it seemed fitting. I apologize for the long hiatus, and for the regrettably short chapter here. But, hopefully things will move a lot faster after this! Flames will be used to counter the sub-Arctic climes.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tron or Tron: Legacy.

Chapter 6: Looking for Answers

_"Normally, a program can't look into another program's past. Our programming, our function history, all of that is meant to be secured. Only a program with special permissions, such as an administrative program, can view another's identity disc. If all programs could see that kind of information, there would be chaos and disorder spreading like a virus. The downside of that is, if something in a program goes horribly wrong, there are too few programs that can make it right."_

Narrowed eyes regarded the prone, black figure on the floor before her, the orange of his circuitry blending with her own white circuits to cast a strange glow in the cramped room. Echo continued to watch Rinzler, and she could feel him watching her. There wasn't much else he could do: his bonds were as secure as she could make them (which was extremely secure), and she had his identity disc in her possession. Still, it didn't hurt to be careful.

Satisfied that her captive wasn't going anywhere for the moment, Echo turned her attention to the disc in her hands. The data was old, and she could feel spots where it had been corrupted, either by age or something else. Most of the disc was intact, however, which meant someone could access the data within—if they had the proper permissions. Permissions that Echo had, to some degree: she might be able to view Rinzler's source code, and the things he had done, but any repairs to his programming were far beyond her capabilities. She was a security program, after all, meant to destroy rogue programs and keep the Grid secure.

Echo looked down, regarding the disc. Maybe looking through Rinzler's disc wasn't a bad idea, after all. He was one of CLU's best troopers, if the rumors were to be believed. Which meant he would have been sent to deal with any uprisings. _And if there were uprisings, there might be someone who would know how to repair his programming. It is a remote chance, but it is still a chance._ Taking a breath, Echo focused on the disc in her hands, accessing the records. It was a long moment before she could let go. Her processors churned madly as she contemplated what she had seen: the original Grid, the ISOs, CLU, Tron…and the User, Flynn. A user who, to Rinzler's knowledge, was still unaccounted for.

_There is a User here, on the Grid!_

The End of Line was busier than usual, a fact that pleased Zuse no end. Ever since the shocking and unexpected abduction of CLU's most trusted program, the inhabitants of the Grid had nothing else on their minds. And, of course, they all came here to discuss it: neutrals, Black Guard, even the few rebel factions came here. End of Line was neutral territory, anyone who wanted to could come here, as long as they weren't a User. _Then again, there aren't any Users left by now,_ Zuse mused, eyeing one particularly enchanting Siren that wandered by.

"Are you Castor?" A calm, almost chilling voice murmured in his ear. Hearing his alias, Zuse turned to regard a program with messy, short black hair and piercing blue eyes just behind him. _A new program, how delicious._

"Well well, my sweet, how can I assist you?"

"I need information, and I had heard that was your specialty." The blue eyes never left his, and he felt the slightest bit of unease.

"That, my dear, depends on the information. Come up to my lounge and we'll speak in private, away from these _dull_ spectators."

Echo smiled slightly, a friendly expression on otherwise neutral features. This game was going exactly as she'd hoped; she had heard this "Castor" fellow had a reputation for double-dealing. If she played her cards right, Castor would never know what he was dealing with.


End file.
